Mechanically-operated dancing toy



May I9, 1925.

T R. ARDEN yMlCl-LNICALLY OPERATED DANCING TOY AFiled Jan. 19, 1924 2Sheets-Sheet 2 26 l 3b I! 4 /5 T R'wmonn ARDEN wventot guide Vthe bodyportion'14 in its vertical movement. The bracket 27 comprises a flatmetal strip of material having its upper end bent at right angles toform a rest or support for the body 14 in its lowest position, the bentportion being provided with a square opening to embrace the shaft 13; astraight portion projecting adjacent the shaft and another lowerangularly bent portion having a square opening to again embrace theshaft at a lower elevation. The lower bent'portion projects in the samedirection and is parallel to the upper bent portion, and at its end thelower part is bent downwardly -to provide an anchor 28 for one end ofthe power spring 29.

The spring29 coils about a sleeve 30, which loosely surrounds theshaft13, and which is provided at its upper end with a series of tongues 31engaged in a cap piece 32. The cap comprises a central dome portion 33,which abuts the under surface of the bracket 27, and which is providedwith a center opening to loosely embrace the winding shaft 13. Thetongues 31 engage thecap 32 through openings in the base of the domeportion, the lower part of the cap being curved upwardly and outwardlyto forni a seat 34 against which the spring is adapted to center whenthe latter is unwound. The purpose of the dome 33 is to provide abearing surface for the sleeve,

30 against the bracket 27, which bearing surface willofdier the,lminimum amount ofy tubular sleeve 39 projects a substantial distancefriction surface possible. The'k over the shaft 13 and at its lower endit carries an escapement wheel 35 to which the opposite or lower end ofthe spring 29 is attached.

Disposed within the khollow body 14 adj acent the lower open end thereofand on a plane corresponding with that of the sidey v slots 19, is theescapeinent device operated by the escapeinent wheel This device iscarried by a frame 36 comprising a rectangular lower boi: portion 37loosely surrounding thevshaft 13 and supported upon a collar 33integrally connected to the shaft. rllie opening in the box portion 37is disposed laterally of the figure and its axis is directed from frontto back, the side walls of this poi-tion being arranged just in back ofthe slots 19, as shown in Figure 4. The portion of the shaft 13, betweenthe bottom and top walls of the box portion 37,`carries a ratchet wheel39,

which is provided with a square centraly opening to embrace the shaft,and which is held in contact with the under surface of the said top wallby means of a spring 40, the coils of which surround the shaft and seatat one end against the bottom wall and at the other against the wheel.

The ratchet wheel 39 in the present instance comprises a fiat piece ofspringy metal hav- -ing two oppositely arranged teeth 41, which move ina circular path, by the winding operation of the shaft, and ride up andover a series of lugs 42 struck upin the upper wall of the frame anddisposed in a circular arrangement to be engaged by the teeth 41.Following the winding operation of the steinor shaft 13 the spring 29 isheld from reversing the rotation of the shaft 13 by engagement of theteeth 41 against the closed end of the lugs 42, as illustrated in Figure6. y

The upper wall of the box portion 37 projects laterally, a substantialdistance, on both sides of the center and is then bent upright kat rightangles to the plane of the wallto provide a front and back wall 43 and44, the former wall being provided `with a spring projection 45yieldably bearing downwardly against the escapeinent wheel 35 to holdthe latter in position against a tubular sleeve 46.l The sleeve 46loosely surrounds the shaft 13 and provides a spacing piece to supportthe escapement wheel 35.

The escapenient proper comprises a beam 47 disposed between the twoupright walls 43 and 44 and provided with flat axial projections 43 atopposite ends to be supported in bearings49 in the walls. The bearings49 are virtually openings in the front and bach walls 43 and 44,whichopenings are provided with upper and lowerprojections 50y which extendtowards each other so as to allow an intervening space equal to the gageof the flat projections 48. This `manner of supporting the beam 47 givesa positive amount ofA clearance in which the beam may oscillate. Thecenter of the beam 47 is provided with an elongated opening 51 joudulnni 54, the latter being provided to o fl'- set theweight of the'bodyportion 14 and legs which are being lifted by movement of the beam,` thelifting operation being effected by ya pair vof oppositely projectingarms disposed transversely of the beam. The arias ci) are preferably anintegral part of the rbeam 47 andkof suiiicient'length to projectthrough the'eyes 23 of the upper leg sections 21, slots 19in the body14, and'at their ends to engage the inside sui'- .face of the handportions of the arm 17, as illustrated in Figure 4.

Following is a description of the operation of the device: By holdingthe body Cal the body portion including a base and an operating shaftconnected to the spring actuated means for Winding the. same.

10. A'clancing toy comprising a toy ligure having a body portion, springactuated means housed by the body portion for actuating the toy ligure,and supporting means comprising a. Winding shaft projecting axiallythrough the said body portion and a crank member carried by the shaftconnected to the spring actuated means Whereby rotary movement. of theshaft and crank will energize the said spring actuated means.

l1. A dancing toy comprising a toy iigure having a body portion, springactuated means housed by the body portion .for actuating the toy'figure, and supporting means comprising a Winding shaft projectingaxially through the said body portion connected to' the spring actuatedmeans whereby rotary movement of the shaft will energize the said springactuated means.

12. A dancing toy comprising a toy figure, spring actuated means housedby the toy Figure for actuating the same, and supporting means for thetoy figure comprising an upright shaft projecting axially through thetoy figure and connected to the spring actuated means and a bas'ememberto which said shaft is rigidly mounted, the base meniber being adaptedto support the toy ligure in upright position.

13. A dancing toy comprising a toy fignre, spring actuated means housedby the toy .figure for actuating the same, and sup` porting means forthe toy figure comprising an upright shaft projecting axially throughthe body of the toy figure and having a crank member connected theretoat its upper end, said crank member being connected to the springactuated means, and a base member in which said shaft is rigidlymounted, said base member being adapted to supportl the toy in uprightlposition and to be'grasped by the hand to rotate the shaft to Wind thespring actuated means. s n

14. A dancing toy comprising a toy figure including a body portion, aspring actuated means for operating the toy figure, and means forsupporting the toy figure and for Winding the spring actuated means, thesaid supporting means comprising an upright shaft projecting axiallythrough the body portion and through an opening in the head thereof andhaving an integrally connected `crank member connected with the springactuated meansV to tension the spring of the latter, and a base memberin which said shaft is rigidly mounted, the base member being adapted tosupport the toy in an upright position.

l5. A dancing toy comprising a toy tigure including a body portion,spring actu" ated means for operating the toy figure, and means forsupporting the toy figure and for Winding the spring actuated means,thesaid spring actuated means comprising an oscillating member adaptedto alternately engage opposite sides ofthe body portion to vibrate thelatter. i

16. A dancing toy comprising a toy iigure including y a bodyk portionand arms, spring actuated means for operating the toy figure, and meansfor supporting the toy ligure` and forwinding the spring actuated means,the said spring actuated means comprising an oscillating member having apendulum balance and projecting pallets on opposite sides and`projecting arms having their paths rof movement through slots .inoppositesides of the body portion to alter* nately engage the armstovibrate the latter, an escapement Wheel having teeth adapted tol engagethe pallets and oscillate the said member, va spring disposed axially ofthe tions, and means supporting the body portion and the spring actuatedmeansconynected to the latter for winding the same,

the said spring'actuated means'coinprising an oscillating member havingoppositely extending arms projecting through openings in the legportionsand thereafter through slots in the body portioinwhereby oscillatorymovement. of the member will impart simultaneous vibratable movement inboth the legs and body portion.

18. A dancing toy comprising a toy iigure having a bodyportion andseparate leg portions, spring actuated means for supporting andoscillating the said leg portions, and means supporting the body portionand the spring actuated means connected to the lat-ter for winding thesame, the' said supporting means including a base platform adapted tomaintain the toy in vertical position, said leg portions comprising.jointedinembers, the loWer members of whichl are adapted to engage withthe top of the platform during oscillatory movement of the said legportions.

19. -A dancing toy comprising a toy iigure having' a body portion andseparate leg portions, spring actuated means for supporting andoscillating the said leg portions, and means supporting the body portionand the spring actuated means connected to the latter for Winding thesame,

the said supporting means including a base platform adapted to maintainlthe toy in llU vertical position, said leg portions comprising jointedmembers, the lower members of which are adapted to engage with the topof the platform during oscillatory movement of the said leg portions,and an integral pointed projection disposed under the foot portion ofeach lower leg member and adapt-ed to pivot on the' said platform tocause the legs to bend at their joints when in their lower-mostposition. Y

2.0. A dancing toy comprising a toy ligure having a body portion and armportions loosely jointed to said body portion, of separate leg portionsdisposed beneathI the said body portion, spring actuated means forvibrating the arm portions and for supporting and oscillating the legportions, and supporting means for the body portion connected to thespring actuated means for winding the same, the said spring actuatedmea-ns including an oscillatable member having projecting arms toreceive and support the said leg portions, t-he said arms being arrangedto project through slots in the body and to move against the saidloosely jointed arm portions of the body to cause a swinging movement ofthe arms with respect to the body.

2l. An actuating mechanism` of the class described comprising a windingshaft having a crank disposed at its upper end, a sleeve disposed aboutsaid shaft and having a toothed escapement wheel at its lower end, acoil spring disposed about the said sleeve and attached at opposite endsto the crank and escapement wheel respectively, an escapement beamhaving pallets to be engaged by the teeth of the escapement wheel. and aframe supported loosely on said shaft and provided with bearings inwhich the said beam is mounted.

22. An actuating mechanism of the class described comprising a windingshaft having a crank disposed at its upper end, a sleeve disposed aboutsaid shaft and having a toothed escapement wheel at its lower end, acoil spring disposedV about the said sleeve and attached at oppositeends to the crank and escapement wheel respectively, an escapement beamhaving pallets to be engaged by the teeth of the escapement wheel, and aframe supported loosely on said shaft and provided with bearings inwhich the said beam is mounted, said frame being provided with a springprojection adapted to yieldably engage the upper surface of saidescapement wheel to hold the teeth in the path of the pallets.

23. An actuating mechanism of the class described comprising a windingshaft having a crank disposed at its upper end, a sleeve disposed aboutsaid shaft and having a toothed escapement wheel at its lower end, acoil spring disposed about the said sleeve action.

and attached at opposite ends to the crank and escapement wheelrespectively, an escapement beam having pallets to be engaged by theteeth of the escapement wheel, a

frame supported loosely on said shaft and provided with bearings inwhich the said beam is mounted, a ratchet member movable with the shaft,a plurality of lugs in the said frame disposed in the path of movementof said ratchet member, and resilient supporting means embracing thesaid shaft adjacent the ratchet member to hold the latter in contactwith said lugs.

2li. An actuating mechanism of the class described comprising a windingshaft having a crank disposed at its upper end, a sleeve disposed aboutthe said shaft and having a toothed escapement wheel at its lower end, acoil spring disposed about the said sleeve and attached at opposite endsto the. crank and escapement wheel respectively, an escapement beamhaving pallets to be engaged by the teeth of the escapement wheel, aframe. supported loosely on said shaft yand provided with bearings inwhich i the said beam `is `mounted, and an upright pendulum carried bysaid beam, the said escapement wheel having one edge of its teethlinclined in the direction of rotation. thereof whereby alternateengagement of the `inclined edges with said pallets will cause the beamand pendulum to operate.

25. A dancing toy comprising a toy iigure and motor and winding meanstherefor,

said motor andwinding means comprising a winding shaft having a crankdisposed at its upper end, a sleeve disposed about said shaft and havinga toothed escapement wheel at its lower end, a coil spring disposedabout the said sleeve and attached at opposite ends to the crank andescapement wheel respectively, an escapement beam having pallets to beengaged bythe teeth of the escapement wheel, and a frame supportedloosely on said shaft and provided with bearings in which the said beamis mounted.

26. A dancing toy comprising a toy figure and motor and winding meanstherefor housed by the figure, said motor and winding means comprising awinding sha-ft having a crank disposed at its upper end, a sleevedisposed about said shaft and having a toothed escapement wheel at itslower end, a coil spring disposed about the said sleeve and attached atopposite ends to the crank and escapement wheel respectively,`

and means o-perated by. the escapement wheel for setting the figure intodancing In testimony whereof I have laffived my signature.

T RAYMOND ARDEN.

